Automatic occupied trip counting apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus that automatically counts and registers all occupied trips of a vehicle, partly actuated by the rotation of the vehicle wheel and partly by the occupant&#39;&#39;s weight, and which is also actuated by pulling down the taximeter flag.

O Unlted States Patent 1151 3,674,986 Paz July 4, 1972 1541 AUTOMATIC OCCUPIED TRIP 2,530,861 11/1950 Coleman et al. ..235/30 A COUNTING APPARATUS 2,815,911 12/1957 McMullin ....235/30 A 3,111,185 11 1963 B t] [72] Inventor: Plscual S. P112, 9073 Hormiga Street, I u er 235/30 A Rizal Phmppmes Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky [22] Filed: Feb. 16, 1971 AttameyMichae1 S. Striker [211 App]. No.: 115,445 [57] ABSTRACT .23 30 An apparatus that automatically counts registers occu' D l :4 pied trips of a vehicle, partly actuated by the rotation of the 58 Field of Search ..23s/30 A, 33, 44 vehicle Wheel and p y y the occupant's weight, and which is also actuated by pulling down the taximeter flag. 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 1,878,596 9/1932 Papaefthemeou ..235/30 A E u :62 g

5 T ,3 5 0 4 5 5 5 I 7\}: 24 M 5 3 s 9 e m- PATENTEDiuL' 41912 I 3.674586 saw 2 or a rwsvrn Huoun 5. PIZ- 1 AUTOMATIC OCCUPIED TRIP COUNTING APPARATUS This invention relates to an apparatus that automatically counts and registers all occupied trips of a vehicle more particularly a taxicab.

Presently, all occupied trip counting apparatus or taximeters are manually or driver operated in the sense that the num ber of occupied trips of the vehicle including the fares are counted and registered in the meter only every time the driver ulls the taximeters flag down. Unfortunately, however, some drivers forget intentionally or unintentionally to pull the meters flag down, thereby causing illegal collection of fares which otherwise could have been used by the operator to pay overhead expenses or vehicle operating cost and, thus, create a more favorable condition for the improvement of the transportation industry, not to mention the unseen benefits to the nation s stepped-up economic development brought about by a more progressive and efficient transport system.

As can be gleaned from the foregoing, the main object of this invention is to provide an automatic, accurate and foolproof counting machine that unerringly counts and registers the number of times any vehicle or taxicab, equipped with this machine, had been occupied.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that would remind drivers to pull the taxirneters flag down every time the cab is occupied.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other and new useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combinations and arrangement of the several parts and in substantially the method of carrying the invention into operation. In the accompanying drawings, a complete example of a physical embodiment of the invention is illustrated wherein the parts are combined and arranged in accord with one mode of combination devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention. It will, however, be understood that various changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures within the scope of the invention without departing from the principles of the same. It being so, the present embodiment is, therefore, only illustrative and should not be restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims and whatever comes within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

Generally stated, the invention is electro-mechanical in nature. It is connected to the main electrical system of the car. It is partly actuated by the rotation of the vehicles wheel and partly by the weight of the vehicle's occupant. Although the counter may also be actuated directly by the driver's action of pulling down the taximeters flag, its main system works and function unhampered and independently of the action of the driver.

The invention will be better appreciated during the course of the following detailed description with the aid of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is the circuit diagram of the invention showing, among others, the relative positions, combinations and arrangement of the several electrical and mechanical parts.

FIG. 2 is the perspective view of the taximeter without its rear cover showing only the parts which has relation to the system.

FIG. 3 is the perspective view of the taximeter flag and its components detached from the taximeter box.

FIG. 4 shows how the pressure switch is connected to the taxi seat springs.

F IG. 5 is a perspective view of the pressure switch.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the trip counter assembly and its cover.

F IG. 7 is a perspective view of the speedometer adapter.

As gleaned from the drawings, the invention comprises of a pressure switch, an occupancy trip counter, a taximeter, and a speedometer adapter.

The pressure switch 16 which has two pairs of sidewise extending arms 33 is conveniently located in between two supporting springs 34 of the cab's passenger seats. It is secured to springs 34 by crimping the ends of arms 33 around suitable portions of spring 34 (FIG. 4). The contacts of switch 16 may be closed by allowing the weight of cab passengers to press on springs 34.

The trip counter 35 may be conveniently located in the cab. It comprises of a base plate on which its components are mounted and a cover 15 having a window 43 through which the number of occupied trips are read. Mounted on the right of its base plate is a relay 2 which may be activated by the closing of pressure switch 16. Positioned in front of relay 2 is a metal disc 21 connected to a horizontal shaft 36 that is slidably held by support 37. Secured about the extended portion of shaft 36, just after support 37 is return spring 22. Spring 22 enables disc 21 to retract to its original position when it is unattracted by relay 2. On the other end of shaft 36 is connected a C-bar 3a serving as one of the terminals of switch 3. The other terminals of switch 3 are upstanding flat bars 38 suitably positioned in front of support 37. To the left of relay 2 is positioned support 39 which rotatively holds flexible shaft 13. Connected to shaft 13 at a distance in front of support 39 is a cupped disc 5 having a permanent bar magnet attached at its center. Disc 5 may be made to rotate together with shaft 13. Located inside cupped disc 5 is metal wheel 14. Wheel 14 is positioned as close as possible to disc 5 without touching it. Centrally connected to wheel 14 is a horizontal shaft 40 slidably and rotatively held by support 30. Attached to shaft 40 just after support 30 is a spiral leaf spring 41 that enables wheel 14 to return to its original position as disc 5 decreases its rotation. To the other end of shaft 40 is connected a vertical rod 6a serving as a terminal for switch 6. Rod 6a rotates with shaft 40. Aligned with rod 60 are two inverted -rods 32 that serve as the other terminals for switch 6. Positioned to the left of support 39 is the solenoid counter actuator 11. In front of actuator 11 is a disc 23 which is linked to the counter 12 mounted just in front of said disc 23.

The taximeter 10 comprises distance and time metering accessories not shown, and a conventional buzzer 7 mounted on its casing. To the right of buzzer 7 is a vertical bar 8 pivotally secured to the casing by pin 44. Still farther to the right is a vertical bar 9 with its lower portion slanted to the right, pivotally secured to the casing by pin 18. Pivotally mounted on the top of the two vertical bars is a horizontal bar 19 having a downwardly extending portion 20 at about its middle. To the left of portion 20 is a cam 17 rigidly attached to the shaft 45 of the taximeter flag 46. Secured to the casing to the lower right of bar 8 is a horizontal pin 47 that stops the anticlockwise rotation of said bar 8. Disposed at the lower left portion of bar 9 is another pin 48 serving as contact for the slanted portion of bar 9.

Connected to the cupped disc 5 of the occupancy trip counter 35 by means of speedometer adapters flexible shaft 13 is the speedometer adapter 4. Shaft 13 is connected to the rigid shaft 29 of the gear 28 which is meshed with the gear 26. Gear 26 is provided with a rigid shaft 27 on which the speedometer flexible shaft 24 is connected at points 27 and 25.

The operation of the invention may now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The apparatus being electro-mechanical in nature is connected to the main electrical system of the car. Pressure switch 16 which is generally located between the supporting springs of the seats of the cab, when pressed by the weight of the occupant, causes switch 1 to close. When this happens, relay 2 will be energized and metal disc 21 is attracted thereto which, though opposed by return spring 22, would nevertheless cause switch 3 to close and which in turn will energize conventional buzzer 7 in the meter adapter 10 attached to the taximeter. The buzzer 7 will continue to buzz as long as switches l, 3 and 8 are closed or as long as any of the seats of the cab, except the drivers, is weighted down. This in efiect accomplishes the object of reminding the driver to pull the flag down every time the cab is occupied. Switches 8 and 9 are interactingly connected by linkage l9 and pivots at studs 18 such that when switch 8 is closed, switch 9 is open and when switch 9 is closed, switch 8 is open. As is usually done when the cab is occupied, the For Hire flag is given a clockwise 90 turn on its pivotal shaft. Because of cam 17 which is built on the shaft extension adapter and secured to the pivotal shaft, abutment 20 which is secured to linkage 19 will be caused to move to the right, thereby closing switch 9 and opening switch 8. As a consequence, buzzer 7 will cease to function due to the breaking up of its circuit at switch 8. Should the For. Hire flag be returned to its original upright position to complete the cycle, switch 8 will also return to its normal closed position due to the action of the return springs on both the studs pivot 18.

As had been previously stated, the lowering of the For Hire flag would open switch 8 and close switch 9. This closing of switch 9 will energize conventional solenoid actuator 11, attract metal disc 23 and cause the first rotating disc of conventional counter 12 to rotate one notch counterclockwise and register the first occupied trip of the vehicle. Metal disc 23 remains attached to solenoid actuator 11 which remains cocked as long as switch 9 is closed.

As can now be seen from the foregoing, the occupying of the cab will not be registered on the automatic counter should the driver elect to ignore the buuing of buzzer 7 and forgets to lower the For Hire flag. However, this can only be possible as long as the cab is not in motion or at the most, traveling only at the speed of no more than approximately 10 KM per hour. Should the cab go beyond this speed accidentally or otherwise, switch 6 will close, thereby, energizing again solenoid actuator 11 and actuating counter 12 and registering the occupying of the cab. This is so because speedometer flexible shaft adapter 4 is splicedly inserted at a convenient point along the length of the speedometer flexible shaft 24, one end of which is conventionally connected to the transmission housing assembly and the other end to the speedometer on the instrument panel of the cab. Needless to say, the speedometer flexible shaft rotates along its longitudinal axis every time the cab moves forward and the speed of this rotation is directly proportional to the speed of the cab. Inasmuch as the speedometer flexible shaft adapter 4 is inserted to the speedometer flexible shaft 24 at points 25 and 27 (FIG. 7) such that when shaft 24 rotates, spur gear 26 also rotates and further because the other spur gear 28 is meshed to spur gear 26 at a 1:1 ratio, the flexible shaft 13 which is secured to it at point 29 also rotates at the same speed as the speedometer flexible shaft 24. Cupped disc which has a permanent bar magnet secured at its center and placed across its axis of rotation, is also secured to the end of the flexible shaft adapter 13 so that when it rotates, it tends to bring along with it because of magnetic attraction wheel 14 which has a return hair spring that opposes the rotating attraction of the magnet. Wheel 14 will rotate in spite of its very close proximity to disc 5. It never touches disc 5 because of holder 30 and a restraining washer. The faster the speed of the cab, the greater is the speed of rotation of disc 5 and the stronger is its rotating attraction to wheel 14 that at the speed of approximately KM per hour, the magnetic attraction is strong enough to rotate wheel 14 and take along with it vertical switch bar 6a which is secured to its shaft and causes switch bar 6a to touch switch terminals 32, thereby closing switch 6. When switch 6 closes, solenoid actuator 11 will again be energized and cause the counter rotating disc to rotate and register the occupying of the cab even though switch 9 is open. Switch 6 will continue to close and open and actuate counter actuator 11 as long as switch 9 is open or the lowering of the taximeters flag is ignored. Discrepancies will, therefore, show between the readings on the taximeter of the number of trips and the readings on the Counting Apparatus. These discrepancies of course will only show if the driver forgets to pull the taximeters flag down and not if he does because solenoid actuator 11 will be cocked" the moment he pulls the taximeters flag down and will never be affected by the closing or opening of bar switch 6a, and, therefore, neither by the acceleration or deceleration of the cab.

I claim:

1. An automatic occupied trip counting apparatus comprising in combination, a first switch located under a passenger's seat, electrically connected to the cabs battery and operated by the passenger's weight; a relay electrically connected to the first switch for operation thereof; a second switch positioned at a distance in front of said relay, electrically connected to the battery and adapted to be operated by said relay by attracting thereto a retractable metal disc positioned just in front of the relay, said disc being connected to a first horizontal shaft whose other end is connected to a C-bar which connects the terminals of the said second switch; a cupped disc with a permanent bar magnet diametrically secured therein, and rotatably connected to a flexible shaft of a gear meshed with another gear rotatably connected to the flexible shaft of the cab's speedometer; a third switch electrically connected to said second switch, positioned at a distance in front of the cupped disc and adapted to be operated by magnetically rotating a metal wheel positioned sufficiently close to said cupped disc, said wheel being connected to a second horizontal shaft whose other end is connected to a rod which connects the terminals of said third switch and said second horizontal shaft having a spiral spring secured thereto for opposing the rotation of said wheel; a buzzer electrically connected to said second switch for emitting signals to remind the cabs driver to lower the taximeters flag; a fourth switch electrically connected to the buzzer for terminating said signals when said flag is lowered; a solenoid electrically connected to said third switch for actuating a counter positioned at a distance in front of it by attracting a metal disc linked to said counter; a fifth switch electrically connected to the battery and said solenoid for actuating said solenoid when said flag is lowered; a lever means pivotally connected to a terminal of the fourth and fifth switches, said lever having a downwardly extending part at its mid-portion adopted to be pushed sidewise by a cam secured on the shaft of said flag in order to open the fourth switch and simultaneously close the fifth switch as said flag is lowered.

2. An automatic occupied counting apparatus comprising in combination a relay electrically activated by a first switch electrically connected to the cabs battery and secured under a passengers seat, a disc positioned in front of said relay to which it may be attracted, said disc being centrally connected to a horizontal shaft slidably held by a support, said shaft having a spring about its extended portion for retracting said disc to its original position when said relay is deactivated, a second switch mounted in front of said support and electrically connected to said battery, said second switch being operated by the movement of a C-bar connected to the other end of said shaft, a cupped disc having a permanent bar magnet attached at its center, said cupped disc being rotatably connected to a flexible shaft rotatably held by a support mounted at the back of said cupped disc, said gear connected to the flexible shaft of the cabs speedometer, a metal wheel positioned in front of said magnet, said wheel having a central shaft rotatably held by a support mounted in front of said wheel said shaft having a spiral spring that tends to oppose the rotation of said wheel and a bar connected at its other end, a third switch mounted at a distance in front of the spiral spring and electrically connected to said second switch; said third switch being operated by the said bar, a solenoid actuator electrically connected to said third switch; a disc positioned in front of said solenoid and having a centrally attached shaft which is mechanically linked to a conventional counter mounted at a distance in front of said solenoid, a buzzer mounted inside a taximeter casing and electrically connected to said third switch; a fourth switch electrically connected to said buzzer; a fifth switch electrically connected to said third and second switches, a bar pivotally connected to a terminal of the fourth and fifth switches and provided with a downwardly extending portion adapted to be pushed sidewise by the cam attached to the taximeters flag shaft. 

1. An automatic occupied trip counting apparatus comprising in combination, a first switch located under a passenger''s seat, electrically connected to the cab''s battery and operated by the passenger''s weight; a relay electrically connected to the first switch for operation thereof; a second switch positioned at a distance in front of said relay, electrically connected to the battery and adapted to be operated by said relay by attracting thereto a retractable metal disc positioned just in front of the relay, said disc being connected to a first horizontal shaft whose other end is connected to a C-bar which connects the terminals of the said second switch; a cupped disc with a permanent bar magnet diametrically secured therein, and rotatably connected to a flexible shaft of a gear meshed with another gear rotatably connected to the flexible shaft of the cab''s speedometer; a third switch electrically connected to said second switch, positioned at a distance in front of the cupped disc and adapted to be operated by magnetically rotating a metal wheel positioned sufficiently close to said cupped disc, said wheel being connected to a second horizontal shaft whose other end is connected to a rod which connects the terminals of said third switch and said second horizontal shaft having a spiral spring secured thereto for opposing the rotation of said wheel; a buzzer electrically connected to said second switch for emitting signals to remind the cab''s driver to lower the taximeter''s flag; a fourth switch electrically connected to the buzzer for terminating said signals when said flag is lowered; a solenoid electrically connected to said third switch for actuating a counter positioned at a distance in front of it by attracting a metal disc linked to said counter; a fifth switch electrically connected to the battery and said solenoid for actuating said solenoid when said flag is lowered; a lever means pivotally connected to a terminal of the fourth and fifth switches, said lever having a downwardly extending part at its mid-portion adopted to be pushed sidewise by a cam secured on the shaft of said flag in order to open the fourth switch and simultaneously close the fifth switch as said flag is lowered.
 2. An automatic occupied counting apparatus comprising in combination a relay Electrically activated by a first switch electrically connected to the cab''s battery and secured under a passenger''s seat, a disc positioned in front of said relay to which it may be attracted, said disc being centrally connected to a horizontal shaft slidably held by a support, said shaft having a spring about its extended portion for retracting said disc to its original position when said relay is deactivated, a second switch mounted in front of said support and electrically connected to said battery, said second switch being operated by the movement of a C-bar connected to the other end of said shaft, a cupped disc having a permanent bar magnet attached at its center, said cupped disc being rotatably connected to a flexible shaft rotatably held by a support mounted at the back of said cupped disc, said gear connected to the flexible shaft of the cab''s speedometer, a metal wheel positioned in front of said magnet, said wheel having a central shaft rotatably held by a support mounted in front of said wheel said shaft having a spiral spring that tends to oppose the rotation of said wheel and a bar connected at its other end, a third switch mounted at a distance in front of the spiral spring and electrically connected to said second switch; said third switch being operated by the said bar, a solenoid actuator electrically connected to said third switch; a disc positioned in front of said solenoid and having a centrally attached shaft which is mechanically linked to a conventional counter mounted at a distance in front of said solenoid, a buzzer mounted inside a taximeter casing and electrically connected to said third switch; a fourth switch electrically connected to said buzzer; a fifth switch electrically connected to said third and second switches, a bar pivotally connected to a terminal of the fourth and fifth switches and provided with a downwardly extending portion adapted to be pushed sidewise by the cam attached to the taximeter''s flag shaft. 